26 SEPTEMBER 2017

Tua Injured But show Goes On

Although former heavyweight contender David Tua has suffered a minor calf strain at the moment his clash with Alexander Ustinov, scheduled for the Claudelands Arena in Hamilton, New Zealand on August 31, is still on.

Promoter David Higgins announced that the fight will still go ahead. At a press conference on Tuesday, Ustinov,28-2-(21), said: :”I’m really looking forward to the fight…I feel I have a lot of support in this country”.

Tua, 52-4-2-(43), has been around for a long time and knows this is his last chance to gain a shot at the world title. “This has been the hardest I’ve ever trained in my career,” said Tua. “It’s been a tough road back. I’ve never experienced any pain like I’ve experienced in this camp. I believe getting back with Lee (fitness trainer Lee Parore) was not by accident – it was a matter of time. I’ve been in decent shape for a couple of fights since the Shane Cameron fight, but I’ve never been in fighting shape.

Tua added: “So really the difference with a few of the other fights after the Cameron fight and this fight is that I’ve finally got myself in decent shape that will definitely allow me to be in great fighting shape. Training camp has been very, very ugly, but I’ve enjoyed every moment of it…I’ve got to keep pushing myself. There’s darkness and emptiness that I’ve never experienced in my whole career and I’m quite humble that I’ve got to experience them this time.”